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Back when I first smoked a My Uzi Weighs a Ton I noted that while I found it to be a “nice smoke,” I thought “maybe a smaller ring gauge would better fit my palate.” Back then My Uzi came only in three sizes, all with a 60 ring gauge (5, 6, and 7 inches long).

Since, the team at Drew Estate Subculture Studios and Joya de Nicaragua has obliged with the Bait Fish size. Since late last year, the Bait Fish (4 x 44) was exclusive to online-only New Havana Cigars, but in May it was announced that the line would be going national. And if the sample I smoked during my visit to Nicaragua is any indication, another more traditionally-sized MUWAT is on the way soon (toro-sized, if I recall).

A quick refresher: The Uzi is made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory with leaf mostly from Drew Estate, including a San Andreas maduro wrapper, Connecticut capote binder, and Brazillian mata fina filler, along with Nicaraguan filler from Joya de Nicaragua’s tobacco stocks. It’s rolled at Joya de Nicaragua but was blended by Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate.

The original lines came in brown paper-wrapped 10-pack “bundles” and sold for $8-10 a smoke. The Bait Fish comes in a handy pocket-size five-pack and sells for about $6 per stick. According to New Havana’s site, the blend was tweaked with more ligero to create a blend they call the “EF” for extra fuerte (extra strong).

The cigar’s wrapper is a bit darker and more oily than I remember the original Uzis being. The cigar is well-constructed, firm to the touch, and it produces an easy burn and solid ash.

The Uzi Bait Fish is full-bodied, much more so than the original. It features loads of earth, oak, black coffee, and a bit of milk chocolate, creating a complex, full-flavored smoke.

I certainly like the Bait Fish more than the original Uzi, but I’m kind of curious why. Is it the tweaked (ligero-heavy) blend or the effect of the small size? I, for one, would still like to see a smaller (non-60 ring gauge) version of the original blend, if for no other reason than to see how it compares to the Bait Fish. Still, this is the type of cigar that appeals to me. Focused, intense, flavorful, and well-made. It’s enough to earn Drew Estate’s My Uzi Weighs a Ton Bait Fish a rating of four stogies out of five.